Since the girls can’t really give something up for Lent, we are instead focusing on doing things this religious season. (Personally I’ve always preferred this approach anyways.) Our Advent activity of adding straw to Jesus’s manager was such a hit in our house that I loved the idea of doing something similar this Lent. I made this Crown of Thorns and during the Lenten season we will remove a thorn every time someone does a good deed. Our goal is to remove all the thorns before Easter.

To make our crown, I purchased a small grapevine wreath at Michaels. I then stuck toothpicks throughout it to make the thorns. We used about 100, I just to a package and stuck a ton in there. We are setting aside each of the “thorns” we pull out and will use them to make a cross towards the end of the season. (The added benefit of this is that it keeps the girls from playing with the toothpicks they pull out.)

What kind of deeds count? In our home it is anything that eases someone’s burden or brightens his day, which is exactly what we would want to offer Christ in his journey to Calvary. It could be as simple as helping with dinner or sending a card to a grandparent.

As a kid I always thought Lent was one of the worse times of the year. It’s only now as an adult that I can enjoy Lent as a time of focus and reflection to renew my faith. While this is also a time of sacrifice and prayer, I want my girls to have a positive experience with Lent so that later they may be able to appreciate this time of year.

Who Am I?

I think this is where I'm suppose to say something witty about myself. Oh well. I'm a stay-at-home mom to three awesome kids--our twin daughters who are seven now and a two-year-old son who is full of energy. In my pre-children life I was a teacher and I now homeschool our children. I'm also married to Ed, who is currently serving in the Air Force, and is the love of my life (it'd be awkward if he wasn't). Our family is big on books, crafts, and having fun together. I just thought I would share our activities in my own little corner of the internet.

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